


Taking Your Place

by lyssajay



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Adoption, Albus Dumbledore Bashing, BAMF Harry Potter, BAMF Remus Lupin, BAMF Sirius Black, Fix-It of Sorts, Gay Parents, M/M, Manipulative Albus Dumbledore, Sirius Black and Remus Lupin Raise Harry Potter, Slow Burn, wolfstar
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-19
Updated: 2019-06-03
Packaged: 2020-03-07 22:08:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,728
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18882214
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lyssajay/pseuds/lyssajay
Summary: James and Lily are dead. Dumbledore leaves Harry Potter on the stoop of Number Four, Privet Drive, to face an uncertain future. Sirius Black decides that's stupid, since he is Harry's godfather and responsible for his safety.So Sirius takes Harry, moves in with Remus, and together they raise-not the savior of the Wizarding World-but a normal boy who knows he is loved.(They may find love for each other along the way)Fate was never kind to the Marauders, and though this one act changes the entirety of Harry's destiny, some tragedies cannot be averted.--------------------------------------------------------------------------This is sort-of a fix-it where Harry is raised by Wolfstar and loved, with his only known and cared about destiny being that of Heir to the Marauders' legacy. There will be a slow-burn Wolfstar romance brewing, but it'll take a little while to get there. This story will trace through Harry's childhood and up until he graduates Hogwarts, with chapters in chronological order but in a largely one-shot style.





	1. The Divergence, or Sirius Stepping Up

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for taking the time to read my story! I had this plot bunny roundhouse kick me in the face when I was rereading Sorcerer's Stone, and couldn't let it sit. Seriously, there was an entire night for something different to happen to Harry before the Dursleys found him, and I wanted to run with it. This is unbeta'd, so let me know if you find any typos or inconsistencies. Fair warning, there is strong language used in this chapter and it will be used throughout the fic.  
> \--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
> The first paragraph, in italics, is taken from "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" by J.K. Rowling. That paragraph, and all characters/spells/locations of Harry Potter belong solely to her.

(Any text in italics is taken from Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone and belongs to JK Rowling)

_Dumbledore turned and walked back down the street. On the corner he stopped and took out the silver Put-Outer. He clicked it once, and twelve balls of light sped back to their street lamps so that Privet Drive glowed suddenly orange and he could make out a tabby cat slinking around the corner at the other end of the street. He could just see the bundle of blankets on the step of number four._

_“Good luck, Harry,” he murmured. He turned on his heel and with a swish of his cloak, he was gone._

_A breeze ruffled the neat hedges of Privet Drive, which lay silent and tidy under the inky sky, the very last place you would expect astonishing things to happen._

Yet another astonishing thing did indeed happen, arriving to Number Four with a quiet patter of paws. A leap over the gate found the paws coming to rest beside little Harry. He would have remained asleep if not for a quick sniff the animal couldn’t resist. Harry yawned awake, little eyes blinking away the sleep to see a huge black dog towering over him.

“Pafoo!” The one year old giggled, elated to see a familiar face. A heartbeat latter and Sirius Black was kneeling in front of him, gathering his godson into his arms. He cradled the infant to his chest, tears streaming down his cheeks. The young man was barely twenty-one and had lost half of his family in an instant, with his most prized person about to be hurled away forever. He had let Hagrid borrow his motorbike to throw off Dumbledore’s suspicions and had lurked in the shadows as Padfoot until the impromptu gathering dispersed.

Sirius couldn’t afford to revel in their reunion. He quickly gathered the blankets and re-wrapped Harry, careful to hide his face from view. As he finished tightening them around his godson’s middle a little envelope fell onto the ground. Sirius’ attention shot to the small letter, rage bubbling up inside of him. What right did Albus goddamn Dumbledore have to take Harry away from his godfather, his legal guardian, to leave him with these monsters? The anger festerred for a moment before he released it in a quick, wandless, “Incendio.” The letter erupted in flames, and were it not for Harry’s shifting against him he would have stood to watch it until it was ash. As it was, Sirius rechecked that Harry and all his belongings were secure before turning to walk into the night.

When the Dursleys awoke and Mrs. Dursley put out the old milk bottles, there was nothing new, strange, or otherwise out of the ordinary. They were none the wiser about the events that occured on their front stoop mere hours before, and how drastically their lives would have changed.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sirius was nervous about apparating with a baby, so he took a taxi to Diagon Alley and floo’d to Remus’ flat. He brushed the soot off of Harry’s head as he walked into the cramped living room. Without any fuss he collapsed on Remus’ couch (he would swear till his dying day it was made of clouds regardless of the actual science of couches or clouds, thank you very much Remus), and got a tiny giggle out of Harry.

“What the fuck Sirius?”

Apparently, he also got an irate werewolf. Who would have thought?

“Good morning, love! Did I interrupt your slumber? I did try to be quiet, but with little Harry it’s pretty hard, as you well know. Though, if you’d like, that isn’t the only thing that can be a little hard-” Sirius waggled his eyebrows suggestively, trying his best to distract Remus from the babbling child in his lap. Remus sighed, rubbing his forehead in clear exasperation.

“Sirius, we talked about this. Dumbledore decided-”

“What Dumbledore decided is bullshit and you know it! I am Harry’s legal guardian! Me! Not Albus flipping Dumbleshit!” Sirius leapt to his feet and began pacing furiously.

Remus raised his head, tracking the erratic movements with his eyes, waiting for him to run out of steam. By the Marauder’s intricate records, these could last anywhere from thirty seconds to three hours, depending on the subject. Remus was afraid this rant would be the latter, especially considering it was about Harry. If James. . .Remus swiped at his eyes, cutting off any more tears. His face was red and swollen enough, and with a moon coming up he had to be in top form. It was honestly proof of how worked up Sirius was that he hadn’t noticed Remus’ distressed state, or even thought about James. This was the first time they had seen each other since. . .before. . .and Sirius was obviously repressing everything, distracting himself with this mission of saving Harry. Remus’ best attempts to dissuade him had clearly been a waste of everyone’s time-especially his own. A high pitched whine drew Remus out of his own head, praise god, and to the baby who was trying desperately to communicate something. Sirius was now frozen, so Remus sighed again and walked over to them.

“Hey Harry. It’s Uncle Moony. You still remember me, right?” His quiet voice caught the wailing infant’s attention, and he looked up.

“Moony!” Harry raised his arms, demanding to be held by Remus. Who was he to argue? Remus carefully took the child, who reflexively curled into his soft sweater. Sirius looked put out, but he could get over it.

“Harry, love, what’s the matter? Are you hungry?” Remus gently ran a hand through Harry’s messy curls- James’ messy curls -But all he received in response was another whine as the boy burrowed deeper into his sweater.

“Mama.” Remus’ heart shattered. Sirius collapsed to the floor, boneless and broken. Nowhere, no-one, had ever thought to prepare them for this. How do you tell a one year old that Mama and Papa aren’t ever coming back? Harry wouldn’t even remember them- No. Harry would remember them. Remus would damn well make sure of it. They had pictures, they had memories. Harry would know his parents through Sirius’ laugh, identical to James’. He would know Lily through Remus’ hugs. Harry would see James in his curls, and Lily in his eyes.

They would not be forgotten. They would be missed.

“Harry, I’m afraid Mama and Papa had to go away.” Remus kept his voice soft. Harry blinked, uncomprehending.

“Sleep? Mama, Papa, sleep?” Remus had to take a deep breath. There hadn’t been a single night James and Lily had missed tucking Harry in as James colorfully narrated the Marauders’ Tales.

“Yes, Harry. Mama and Papa are sleeping, so they won’t be able to tuck you in. But you’ve got Padfoot and I to do that. We’ll make sure you know how much they love you, and we will always be there for you.” Harry lay his head against Remus’ chest, humming as he sucked his thumb. The last Marauders locked eyes, now united. Sirius had a small smile on his face as Remus voiced his resolve with a simple,

“Fuck Dumbledore.” Of course, being Remus, he had to immediately add, “You didn’t hear that Harry.”

“Fu Dumbdoor.”

“No, Harry, you don’t use that language.”

“Fu Dumdoor.”

“Harry!”

Sirius just laughed.

He wouldn’t be laughing in the morning.


	2. Or Where Sirius and Remus Learn of Their First Battle

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay in posting! I went away for Memorial Day weekend and then got swamped with work. Updates will probably take a week or two, as I'm trying to do research to ensure everything is as accurate as I can make it. Thank you for all the kind words and the sheer response to this story! I'm really looking forward to seeing where it goes.   
> Once again, everything Harry Potter belongs to J.K. Rowling.

“Fuck Dumbledore.” Sirius fairly growled as rage swept through him. The letter in his hands began to crumble as he fought the urge to rip it to shreds, or light it on fire as he had with Dumbledore’s first letter the night before.  
“Fu Dumdoor!” Harry’s enthusiastic agreement let some of the tension out of Sirius. He turned to look at the boy, currently trying his hardest to get all of his oatmeal into Remus’ hair. The werewolf in question merely sighed, having given up trying to convince Harry to pick a new favorite phrase-or to actually eat his food.  
“Sirius, as much as Harry and I love it when you use that phrase, it’s a bit overdone at this point.”   
He sighed and walked over to Remus, beginning to work on cleaning out all of the clumps of oatmeal from the now matted curls.   
“Well, I’m inclined to disagree, because, you see, we were just summoned to a custody hearing at the Ministry.” Remus had begun relaxing into Sirius, shot upright, startling Harry. He pulled Harry out of his seat and began pacing, frustration rolling off of him, even as his comforting of Harry was gentle.   
“How dare-What right-He can’t do that! You are Harry’s godfather, on paper, in spell and bond, everything! He has no ground to stand on. What would make him think this even something he could win?” Sirius merely sighed, waiting for it to hit Remus. It only took five seconds of eye contact, with the severe resignation in Sirius’, for Remus to halt pacing as if he had run into a solid wall. All color drained from his face.  
“The Secret Keeper. James and Lily died because of their Secret Keeper, and the Ministry-Dumbledore-think that was you.” A mere whisper, a death toll for their future with Harry. The boy had begun to doze off, cuddled deep as he was in Remus’ sweater, which was as cloudlike as his couch. Another sigh and Sirius was shuffling over to The Cabinet where Remus “hid” all of his good food and drinks-Firewhiskey included. With a quiet “Wingardium Leviosa” a glass was in his hand, then the whiskey was in the glass, and immediately down his throat without a thought. He relished the burn, used it to reignite his own fire. It was this or-Sirius didn’t even want to consider the alternative.   
“You’re exactly right Remus. But, honestly love, tell me when you’re ever wrong,” A drawl tried its damndest to imitate the typical swagger-it was only hollow to Remus. “This is the very reason I told James and Lily to pick a different Secret Keeper. I’m too obvious. Everyone and their brother and their Great-Aunt Suzanne would have known it was me, and what good is an Obvious Keeper? No, I thought they’d be safer with the least obvious choice, but clearly I was wrong. I’m always wrong when it comes to stuff like that. Look where it got us.” Another shot of whiskey.   
“Sirius, this isn’t your fault.” The soft, kind, forgiving, everything pure about Remus’ words plunged right where Sirius didn’t want them to. “There’s no way you could have known-”  
“I NEEDED TO KNOW. If I’d opened my eyes, if I hadn’t brushed all the signs off, if I’d been a goddamn adult I would have seen the signs all over Peter! He’s always been nervous and squirrely, but, god, never like that!” Sirius yelled, slamming his glass on the counter. Tears demanded to fall-it was only their right-but he couldn’t.   
Not yet.   
A sniffle was the only warning before Harry began wailing, scared awake by the noise. Remus began comforting him, rubbing his back and swaying around the cramped kitchen. Sirius deflated, collapsing against the cabinets as he fell to the floor. There he sat, unmoving, the cool tile gradually warming under him.  
“I’m surprised you haven’t killed him yet.” God, why was that man so soft and sweet? Especially when he didn’t deserve it. Sirius couldn’t help but snort.  
“I was going to.” Remus’ eyes snapped to his, shock filling them. “If Hagrid hadn’t asked me about the bike, and if he hadn’t slipped about why he needed it, I would have gone to kill him. I had it all planned out,” the bottle was somehow in his hands and the whiskey down his throat, “but then I heard about Harry, and I knew I couldn’t let Dumbledore just leave him there. I’d met the Dursleys before, with James. Two of the most horrid people-Dementors have nothing on them. They’d have ruined Harry, and he doesn’t deserve that.” Another gulp-but the bottle was nowhere to be found. It took him far too long to look up and see Remus, Harry fast asleep on his shoulder, pouring the rest of the firewhiskey down the sink. He led his head thud against the cabinet behind him, relishing in the dull flash of pain. He did it again, and again, until a firm hand gripped his head, entangling fingers in his hair.   
“Enough, Sirius. We need to sleep before the hearing tomorrow. I don’t care what time it is, before you complain about that.” Remus slid Sirius’ arm around his neck, moving with extra care to avoid waking Harry. An arm under Sirius’ own and Remus lifted them to their feet in a practiced move. Their odd arrangement stumbled down the hallway to the bedroom, tripping on the threadbare holes in the carpet. Sirius couldn’t take his eyes off it. It was the ugliest goddamn pattern he had ever laid eyes on, so you’d definitely find it at your grandma’s and your great-aunt Mildred’s. While most young bachelors would balk at having it in their apartments, it only added to Remus’ old soul aesthetic and charm. There were stains scattered throughout; some from the previous tenants, but most from the Marauders. The one just outside the bathroom was from the night Remus moved in, when the four of them got plastered and Peter didn’t make it to the bathroom in time. A paint splatter in the middle was from a paint war they had when James’ had the most brilliant idea to paint the ceiling.   
The carpet suddenly disappeared, only to be replaced by Remus’ bed and the handmade quilt covering it. He threw Sirius onto it with no more grace than one throws a sack of potatoes.  
“Omph. If ya wanted ta play rough ya shoulda said sumthn Remus,” Sirius muttered into the soft as heaven quilt. Why were all of Remus’ belongings so soft?  
“Take your shoes off while I settle Harry. We need to be well rested for the hearing tomorrow.” Remus’ voice seemed to come from a distance as he fussed with Harry’s makeshift cradle. Sirius groaned but sat up, beginning the monumental task of unlacing his boots and throwing them to the floor. Remus had his back to him, but even drunk Sirius could see the anxiety rolling off him in his hunched shoulders.   
“Why ya so worried, Remy? We’ve got this in the bag!”   
“You’ve got this in the bag, Sirius-if you sober up, that is. I don’t stand a chance.”   
It took far longer than it should for the words to process. Sirius’ fingers stilled.  
“I won’t let them hold your condition against you.” Remus let a long sigh out, as if he’d held it in for years.  
“I’m not sure you’ll have much say in the matter, Sirius. You forfeited most of your family’s power when you turned Blood Traitor, and now that they think you were the Secret Keeper?” His shoulders began to shake as he finally let his fear show. Sirius stumbled off the bed and laid a hand on Remus’ back. He knew what was really fueling Remus’ fears.  
“You are fit to raise Harry, you know. Your condition impacts nothing about your ability to parent. We’d all known you would make the best dad of the lot of us, and here’s your chance to prove it. I’ll be here too, right by your side for the whole of it.” His voice was soft, steady, a complete contradiction to his drunken slurring of minutes before.   
“I never wanted to become a parent like this. I can’t replace James.”   
“And James would never ask you to replace him. James will always be his father, but Harry. . .he’ll never remember that. Even though he’ll never call us “Dad” we need to fill that void for him. We’re probably the only two people on earth who could.” Remus gripped Sirius’ hand like it was his only lifeline, and they fell into silence as they stared at the sleeping infant.   
“What happens if they rule against us, and try to take Harry away?” Remus’ asked. Sirius squeezed his hand.  
“We run.” Remus nodded. There was no turning back. Harry was their only path forward. As they slid into bed, Sirius used his fear to fuel his anger. He had to be ready for their battle tomorrow.

**Author's Note:**

> That's the prologue! I hope you enjoyed it. I have a couple chapters and events planned out, but please feel free to drop a suggestion for what the Wolfstar/Harry family should see/do/etc. I'm open to ideas! I'm going to try to post at least once a week, and hopefully will have this finished by the end of summer.


End file.
